Costa Rica

God’s Work…

The 1970’s through the 1980’s is marked as a period of great revival in Latin America and Costa Rica was at the forefront of that movement.  Many people came to embrace a living, personal faith in Christ and the expansion of the evangelical church in Costa Rica was astronomical.  Continuing with the tradition of Knowing Christ and Making Him Known, the Evangelical Congregational Church of Costa Rica was established in 1996.   Beginning as one small congregation in San Jose, the E.C. Church in Costa Rica has grown to include six local churches.  Under the direction of Dr. William Araya, and with the help of U.S. work teams, a warehouse was purchased and remodeled and now serves as the denominational headquarters building for the E.C. Church of Costa Rica.

The Land and the People…

Boasting some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, Costa Rica (or “Rich Coast”) is a small country situated between Nicaragua and Panamá.  Diverse in landscape, Costa Rica offers beaches, volcanoes, and tropical forests.  Costa Rica is known for its multi-party democratic government and has been touted a stabilizing force in the sometimes volatile region of Central America.  Driven economically by tourism, Costa Rica also exports bananas, coffee, and textiles.  Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish although because of the booming tourism industry, many Costa Ricans (or “Ticos” as they are known locally) also speak English.

With a national literacy rate of 96% and an estimated unemployment rate of just over 6%, the majority of Costa Ricans live comfortably on the average annual income of around $4,600.  However, in spite of Costa Rica’s stable economy, 20% of Costa Ricans still live in severe poverty.